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贺知章
七言绝句
Character Explanations
Click on a character in the poem to display its explanation here.
碧
«blue-green, jade green». 碧玉 «jade green».
玉
«jade». 碧玉 denotes the lustrous color of young foliage.
妆
«to adorn, to make up». 妆成 «adorned, embellished like an ornament».
成
«to become, to complete». 妆成 «is adorned».
一
«one, whole». 一树高 «one whole tall tree».
树
«tree». 一树高 «a tall tree».
高
«tall». The tree standing tall.
万
«ten thousand»; hyperbole. 万条 «a thousand branches».
条
«branch, long stem». 万条 «innumerable branches».
垂
«to hang, to droop». 垂下 «hang downward».
下
«below, down». 垂下 «droop down».
绿
«green». 绿丝绦 «green silk ribbons».
丝
«silk, silk thread». 丝绦 «silk ribbon».
绦
«ribbon, cord». 绿丝绦 «green silk ribbons», the willow branches.
不
«not». 不知 «one does not know».
知
«to know». 不知 «one ignores, one does not know».
细
«fine, slender». 细叶 «the fine leaves».
叶
«leaf». 细叶 «the delicate leaves».
谁
«who». 谁裁出 «who cut them out?».
裁
«to cut, to tailor (fabric)». 裁出 «to fashion by cutting».
出
«to bring out, to produce». 裁出 «to cut out, to bring forth».
二
«two». 二月 «the second (lunar) month», early spring.
月
«month; moon». 二月 «lunar February».
春
«spring». 春风 «the spring breeze».
风
«wind». 春风 «the spring breeze».
似
«to resemble, like». 似剪刀 «like scissors».
剪
«to cut with scissors». 剪刀 «scissors».
刀
«knife, blade». 剪刀 «scissors» that trim the leaves.
Literal Translation
Adorned in jade green, the tree stands tall;
A thousand branches droop, green silk ribbons.
None knows whose hand cut out these fine leaves:
The second month's wind is just like scissors.
Historical and Biographical Context
This poem, 咏柳 (）, «Ode to the Willow», transforms a spring willow into a whimsical praise of reborn nature.
Literary Analysis
Structure and Form
Seven-character quatrain. The first two verses describe the tree through metaphors; the last two pose an ingenious question whose answer is the spring breeze.
Imagery and Symbolism
The willow becomes a young girl adorned in jade, its branches silk ribbons; spring is personified as a dressmaker who «cuts» the leaves.
Movement and Gesture
The final image of the wind-scissors gives spring a creative gesture, as if it itself were trimming the greenery.
Language and Tone
Clear and vivid language; the light and admiring tone celebrates the spring metamorphosis with a touch of wit.
Main Themes
The Praise of Spring
The poem exalts the rebirth of nature through a single tree.
Metaphor and Ingenuity
The comparison of the wind to scissors has remained famous for its poetic invention.
The Personification of Nature
Spring becomes a craftsman, giving life and form to the plant world.
